Judge to Elk Grove: Follow the Law!

In a ruling issued by Sacramento County Superior Court Jude Lloyd Connelly yesterday, the City of Elk Grove was found to have erred in conveying an approval for one project to another without the following the proper planning process.

At issue are plans by Wal Mart to open a so-called Super Center on a lot that had been previously approved for a Target store. Rather than go through the planning process as legally prescribed, the City of Elk Grove simply conveyed the rights for the Target store to the Wal Mart Super Center.

Judge Connelly put a kibosh on this action.

The action was brought by residents of the Maderia neighborhood who, rightfully, claimed the city was trying to side-step the legal procedure for the project. The neighbors cried foul, filed suit and the system responded. 

We hope the city takes this decision to heart with the the lesson being this: we are a nation of laws, not mere wishes of some faceless, nameless bureaucrat or elected official in a city government who kowtows to the wishes of powerful corporate interest.

Score one for the people!